The page We need to do something completely different notes that the church in Sydney, and likely elsewhere in the western world, is losing numbers and making less converts than in the recent past, and outlined some reasons why this might be happening.

This page examines one possible approach to reversing this trend – missional communities – based on the work and website of Martin Bragger.

Think differently

In a diverse society that is really not interested in church (surveys show that about three quarters of non-church attenders are not very open to attending church), christians need to think in culturally appropriate ways about the mission of Jesus. To minister to the mosaic of tribes in a modern city like Sydney, and many others, needs a multiplicity of approaches and forms – whatever it takes (1 Corinthians 9:22).

If the people won’t come to church, the church needs to go to them

We need to move from inviting people to church, beyond a “go out and bring them back” strategy, to a “go out and stay with them” strategy. Church is too foreign and seen as irrelevant for most people. But new little churches (i.e. missional communities) can be formed in the culture of whoever is interested, and converts need never to enter a conventional church if they don’t want to.

This will result in a “sprinkled church”, spread all over the place wherever people are.

We can’t rely on ministers and church buildings

Ministers are not always gifted and equipped to evangelise or serve in the wider community, and they cannot possibly meet, befriend and serve enough people to grow the church. There are simply not enough ministers and church buildings to care for the non-church community and share life and faith with them.

Whatever is done, it will have to involve ordinary people meeting non-church attendees in ordinary places, and forming missional communities wherever there is interest..

What is a missional community?

“A missional community is a live Christian community (church) embedded or constructed in and for places where non-christians already are or are comfortable to gather.”

Organic & fluid

An MC is not locked in to any specific shape, so it can “flow” into whatever form is required for the mission needs of any time and cultural context. It is highly flexible and adaptable. Ideally, it will “go with the flow of the Spirit”.

Visible and embedded

It will meet where non-christians already gather, or will readily gather, and it will be visible (not in a home) so it is always open to new members and attracting curiosity.

Culturally accessible

It will be “their style, their language, their place, their time”. Instead of the high cultural barriers facing non-christians who attend conventional church, the cultural barriers will be overturned.

Networked

But they cannot go it alone. MCs must be networked, supporting each other. There is a role for conventional church structures in supporting MCs without controlling or subverting them.

Messy

MCs will inevitably be messy (just like we see the early church in the New Testament). They will be meeting in an uncertain and changing environment, and will likely have to make plans and decisions today for an unknown future. Some attempts will fail, in which case, move on, pray, and try something else.

Easily multiplied

Sydney is a city of more than 5 million people, growing at a rate of 2-3% per year. To keep up with population growth (if that is our minimal aim) and make up for lost ground in the last few year, Martin Bragger estimates that the Anglican Church would need the equivalent of about 30 new congregations of 50 people every year.

Add in other denominations and it seems clear that this won’t happen. Normal church planting is too slow, ponderous and resource intensive. If MCs are going to be at least part of the solution, they need to be able to be multiplied quickly.

Missional community DNA

Rather than following rules or models, MCs should have a spiritual DNA that has the following characteristics:

• meets intentionally in the name of Jesus
• the Bible is learned and understood
• includes prayer and pastoral care
• people are encouraged to follow Jesus in the way they live
• meets regularly in a place where non-believers already meet – ideally the same group each week so ongoing relationships can be established with people outside the group
• publicly accessible and as much as possible observable by those around
• missionally intentional
  • seeks to serve and show God’s love,
  • intentional about making disciples
  • muliplies
• includes the sacraments – i.e. it is a “real church”.

A group defined by this DNA can be of any shape and size as is appropriate for the context, and meet at any time and place, all of which can be changed quickly as needed.

“Church as we haven’t known it for a society as we haven’t known it.”

Two examples

MC in a pub

Martin Bragger tells of a missional community that began with a few christians meeting in a pub every week. They talked about life, discussed the Bible and prayed, just like a regular home group or home church. They also had a beer and talked with those who met regularly in the bar on that night.

They continued for a year, then a second year. Gradually they were accepted by the regular drinkers, and friendly interaction occurred. The patrons would occasionally share a problem, ask a question or ask for prayer for some need.

None of this could have happened if they had met in a home. Who knows where it will lead?

MC in a cafe

A christian visited a cafe at the same time each week, ordered a coffee, read his Bible, and prayed. Eventually two of the regular patrons asked him what he was doing. Then they asked some questions about christianity.

Friendly discussion ensued, and the christian invited them to discuss regularly – and they accepted. A few other christians and a few other patrons joined in, and an embryo MC was formed.

Starting a Missional Community

MCs will begin and continue in all sorts of ways, but the theoretical approach involves four steps.

1. Connecting

Meet, serve where appropriate and build relationships with non-believers.

2. Gathering

Invite interested contacts into a relevant and appropriate missional community that they will form.

3. Discipling

Help and encourage them to believe in and follow Jesus.

4. Multiply

Start over again with disciples in the MC. Start small and try different ideas.

Missional communities vs church

Characteristic	Missional community	Conventional church
Place	Anywhere	Fixed
Time	Any time	Scheduled, mostly on Sundays
Visibility	Open, observable (no walls)	Bounded, closed (walls)
Members	Those who attach themselves	Those who come through the door
Style	As required	Relatively fixed
Flexibility	High (like an amoeba)	Low (like a skeleton)
Cultural accessibility	High	Low (an alien cultural universe)
Mindset	Postmodern 21st century	Modern 20th century
Mobility	High (guerilla units)	Low (standing army)
Adaptability	High (chameleon)	Low
Change readiness	Hign	Limited
Mission DNA	Missional	Church with mission add-ons (“outreach activities”)
Mission strategy	‘Go and stay’ (community presence, dispersed, relational, kingdom focus)	‘Go and bring’ (“In-drag” programs, events & campaigns, church centre focus)
Leadership	Entrepreneurial (focus on the mission)	Pastoral/maintenance (focus on the members)
Nature	Organic movement	Institution

(Taken from a table by Martin Bragger.)

Read more

For more information, check out Martin Bragger’s Unbounded Church website.

Photo: Luis Eduardo Leiva on Flickr.